Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to distributed medical diagnostic imaging systems, and in particular, relate to generic systems management of a distributed medical diagnostic imaging system.
Medical diagnostic imaging systems, such as x-ray systems, ultrasound systems, computed tomography systems, or other imaging systems, have been proposed that are configured according to a master-slave architecture. In a master-slave architecture, a master computer controls operation of the overall imaging system and slave computers execute commands from the master computer and report the results of such execution, including successes and failures, back to the master computer. Control of the imaging system is centralized in a two-tier master-slave model with the master computer performing all system control operations.
In current medical diagnostic imaging systems, a single entity or master, such as a single processor or control unit, for example, manages the imaging system and subsystems. The master is typically constructed or configured for the particular imaging system and components of that imaging system. However, subsystems may include different hardware with a difference in behavior from other subsystems. Thus, when the architecture of an imaging system is altered, the master is altered as well. Therefore, since the master is altered or replaced when the composition of the imaging system is altered, the system is not easily scalable or alterable. Thus, a need exists for a medical diagnostic imaging system with a control system that is easily adjustable and scalable.
Further, in conventional master-slave architectures, when a problem or error arises in a medical diagnostic imaging system, the imaging system may have difficulty in locating and correcting the error, since an error may be located anywhere from the master down to any of the slave components in the imaging system. That is, typically, the master is unable to locate in which system component an error has occurred and has little detail regarding the error. For example, in a master-slave x-ray system, the master transmits a system command to the slave components of the x-ray system. An error may be discovered if the system does not function properly, but a human operator would not be able to determine whether the error occurred in the master or in any one of the slave components without more extensive diagnostics because component communication is lacking in a typical master-slave x-ray system.
Also, medical diagnostic imaging systems with a master-slave architecture experience more failures than stand-alone imaging systems because minor problems may remain undetected until developing into significant problems or until compounded by separate significant problems. Furthermore, the status of underlying components may not be regularly monitored in a master-slave imaging system because the master simply transmits commands to the slave components and may not receive detailed status reports from slave components and subsystems.
Thus, there is a need for improved control and coordination of a medical diagnostic imaging system in order to better monitor system status. There is a need for improved management of a medical diagnostic imaging system outside the master-slave architecture. There is also a need for a medical diagnostic imaging system with a control system that is easily adjustable and scalable. There is a further need for a medical diagnostic imaging system with a reduced failure rate due to improved system coordination and control. There is also a need for an improved method of detecting system errors in a medical diagnostic imaging system through improved system coordination and control to localize and locate errors.